LG to preload Yahoo on handsets, Yahoo begins ad initiative

Yahoo Inc. announced that LG Electronics Co. Ltd. will be preloading the search giant’s mobile applications on its mobile phones in more than 70 countries, beginning later this year. The applications that will be preloaded to most of LG’s handset are set to include Yahoo Go for Mobile 2.0, Yahoo Mail and Yahoo Messenger. The recently launched Yahoo onesearch, a search application for cellphones, will also be available, the companies announced.
Yahoo and Google Inc. are in the midst of a battle for greater positioning on the mobile search front, as both try to bring handset manufacturers on board. Motorola Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Nokia Corp. all announced similar partnerships with Yahoo a month ago.
“Building on our efforts to set new standards for wireless handsets, we are excited to partner with Yahoo to offer extra value to consumers with enhanced mobile Internet experiences,” said Paul Bae, VP of the product planning team at LG.
In other news coming out of the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Yahoo launched its mobile advertising platform on the company’s mobile Web service at m.yahoo.com in 19 countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Beginning today, major global advertisers will launch inaugural mobile advertising campaigns on the new platform, which will see their advertisements run near the top of the Yahoo Mobile Web home page.
“Yahoo’s clear leadership in Internet display advertising combined with the global reach and popularity of our mobile services makes it natural that top advertisers are coming to us to go mobile,” said Steve Boom, senior VP of mobile and broadband at Yahoo.
Hilton’s Embassy Suites, Infiniti, Intel, Nissan, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble Asia Pacific and Singapore Airlines are among the initial mobile advertisers for today’s launch.